Wellington City Gallery

Civic Square is where Wellington’s formal public receptions take place and is a popular venue for relaxing in the lunch hour. The square was originally planned as long ago as 1944, but only in 1987 did Wellington City Council appoint Fletcher Development and Construction Ltd to develop the project. This included building a new library, converting the old library into the City Gallery and extending and refurbishing the City Council buildings. Work was done to strengthen the old Town Hall against earthquake damage. A car parking area was established and a link to the Waterfront – the City to Sea Bridge. All this was completed in 1992.The square was constructed in the early 1990s on the intersection of Mercer Street and Cuba Street. The City Library (the wavy glass building) is New Zealand’s largest and busiest library and receives more visitors every year than Te Papa. The Civic Administration Centre contains the Wellington Information Centre for tourists.